updated 07:17 am EDT, Fri August 9, 2013

Hopes to grow non-Windows business 'as soon as possible'

Acer is looking towards producing more Android devices and Chromebooks, potentially at the expense of its Windows device business. Company president Jim Wang advised in a conference call that the company is "trying to grow our non-Windows business as soon as possible," after Acer posted a second quarter loss driven by reduced sales and higher costs.

"Android is very popular in smartphones and dominant in tablets... I also see a new market there for Chromebooks," said Wang to an audience including theWall Street Journal. Devices running on Android, as well as Chromebooks, are expected to contribute between 10 and 12 percent of revenues by the end of 2013, and could rise by 30 percent in 2014, with the remainder made up of Windows systems. On lower sales of computers and notebooks, Wang notes "the Windows camp has to do something to reestablish or reinforce confidence among PC users. People are reluctant (to buy) and are holding (off) their purchasing decisions."

In the second quarter, Acer made a net loss of NT$ 343 million ($11.4 million), down from the NT$56 million ($1.9 million) for the same period last year. Analyst forecasts expected the company to make a profit of around NT$206 million ($6.9 million).